Watermelon Rum Cooler with Juice Cubes

Make your summer fruit last by pairing this cocktail with homemade juice cubes.

A great way to preserve fresh juice is in the form of ice cubes. These juice cubes can then be used to flavor water or your favorite fruity drink. This cocktail uses ice cubes made with fresh mint and the last watermelons of the season.

Yield: 4 cocktails

Ingredients

Juice cubes (make ahead)

2½ cups watermelon chunks

15 fresh mint leaves

Cocktails

1 lime, quartered

20 fresh mint leaves

6 cups watermelon chunks, juiced (makes about 24 ounces)

4 ounces white rum

24 ounces club soda

Preparation

Juice Cubes Make ice cubes at least six hours before you’re ready to use them in cocktails. Feed watermelon and mint leaves into electric juicer, alternating between a few pieces of melon and a few mint leaves. Stir juice. Fill standard 24-piece ice-cube tray with juice. Freeze until firm.

Cocktails Muddle one-quarter lime and five mint leaves in each of four 16-ounce pint glasses. Remove mashed lime rind from glasses. In each glass, pour in 6 ounces watermelon juice, 1 ounce white rum, and top off with 6 ounces club soda. Stir a few times to mix. Add four juice cubes to each glass and serve immediately.

Lori Rice is a writer, photographer and nutritional scientist. Her love of agriculture led to her past work in cooperative extension and to her current passion for capturing the story of small-scale food production through her writing and photos. Find her recipes on Fake Food Free: http://www.fakefoodfree.com and follow her on Instagram and Pinterest: https://www.instagram.com/Lori_Rice/ and https://www.pinterest.com/fakefoodfree/FOLLOWMORE ARTICLES